Reverence means not simply a way of behaving at Mass, but an attitude toward other people. The opposite of reverence is arrogance and a refusal to greet with awe those persons and things that are higher than oneself.

Just so you know, I’ll be taking some time to review this book in the days ahead. I figured looking at good liturgy was the best way to celebrate Summorum Pontificum. (If that really is the title.)

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About catholicsensibility

Todd and his family live in Ames, Iowa. He serves a Catholic parish of both Iowa State students and town residents.

One Response to “The Opposite Of Reverence Is Arrogance”

“The opposite of reverence is arrogance and a refusal to greet with awe those persons and things that are higher than oneself.”

I agree with this. Having read your blog pretty regularly over the last year or two, I’m rather surprised you do. Or perhaps you reserve the right to decide for yourself “persons and things that are higher” — which strikes me as a better definition of “arrogance.” If you can decide for yourself what is and isn’t worthy of “awe,” well, I suppose anybody could lay claim to humility. (I wonder what he means by “persons” that are “higher” anyway.)

Careful, Todd, you’re in a glass house when it comes to arrogance. (I probably am too.)

Looking forward to being amused by your denigration of the Holy Father’s wishes regarding the Traditional Mass over the next few days, even though you’re utterly predictable. Actually, I’m not that interested (apart from entertainment value) in anybody’s immediate reactions, “pro” or “con,” because they’ll be unimportant. What will be important are the actions and reactions going forward over years and decades to come, on the part of the great middle in Roman Catholicism: those who don’t know tradition, and therefore think they have no use for it, but are not hostile to it, either. You will be hostile towards it, and you’ll join others who will transparently try to strangle it in the crib — even abort it before it’s born. I will welcome it with enthusiasm and gratitude as a milestone in the long work of restoring tradition and the sacred in the life of the Church. I expect no change in my attitude or yours, whatever the Holy Father wishes. This letter won’t be the beginning, and certainly won’t be the end, of the process; just a welcome milestone and something to build on.

The important ones are those who aren’t declared one way or the other, and have open minds and hearts regarding tradition. In my view, the future of the Church will be all about their reaction going forward, not about mine, not about yours.

about Todd Flowerday

A Roman Catholic lay person, married (since 1996), with one adopted child (since 2001). I serve a parish in music ministry.

about John Donaghy

John is a lay missionary since 2007 with a parish in western Honduras. Before that he served in campus ministry and social justice ministry in Iowa. His ministry blog is http://hermanojuancito.blogspot.com

He also blogs reflections on the lectionary and saints/heroes/events of the date at http://walktheway.wordpress.com

He'll be a long-term contributor here analyzing the Latin American bishops' document from their 2007 Aparecida Conference.